Roads: Northern Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total cost to the public purse was of the road gritting programme in Northern Ireland between 1 November and 31 January in each of the last four years.

David Cairns: The chief executive of roads service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbin, dated 19 February 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question regarding, what the total cost to the public purse was of the road gritting programme in Northern Ireland between 1st November and 31st January in each of the last four years. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	I can advise that the total cost of Roads Service's winter gritting programme in Northern Ireland between lst November and 31st January in each of the last four years is as follows:
	
		
			   Cost of winter gritting programme (£000) 
			 1 November 2003 to 31 January 2004 2,072 
			 1 November 2004 to 31 January 2005 2,064 
			 1 November 2005 to 31 January 2006 7,522 
			 1 November 2006 to 31 January 2007 (1)1,770 
			 (1 )Approximately